Special Note: Please note that this scenario is meant to be read as entertainment, not as an accurate prediction of the future. Also note that the viewpoints and opinions that may come across in this scenario are not necessarily the viewpoints and opinions of the author.
CheapNet will become a pejorative team for dial-up Internet access and 2G mobile networks by the year 2025 in developed countries like the United States of Europe and the Japanese Federation.
Considered to be free in most areas by the year 2030, dial-up will not be used by most members of the post-rock generation (even though their parents will also have premium cable television). Some of the few areas that don't have free dial-up Internet access will see rates about $5-$10/month. Those people will call the service "CheapNet" compared to high speed's $20+/month access fees. Africa and South America will be the only continents with more CheapNet users than high speed users by the year 2025. Due to the immense wealth of China, they will become the first country where nobody will be on CheapNet by the year 2050. South Korea will be the next countries followed by Japan and Finland.
Limitations[]
Internet for dial-up users, circa 2025.
Most things will be impossible to do on CheapNet. This includes Google Earth, YouTube, internet TV sites, webcams, most computerized forms of photography (except for some very low quality images and older images that are under 500 KB), listening to music and online radio, some online games and virtual worlds except for the arcade games, most Disney and Nickeldeon sites along with following the NASCAR races. When television becomes illegal in the year 2040, CheapNet users will be further divided from the high speed Internet access community in terms of intelligence and knowledge. The few things people will be able to do on CheapNet is to download emulator games, some abandonware, Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter at the most basic level (viewing family photos and reading the news feed, that's about it) use forums and IM, use dating sites without the use of webcam, view still pictures (higher quality pictures over 1 MB in size will be very difficult to view), and answer their e-mails. Almost all e-commerce will require a broadband connection in order to have a significant sales revenue. Pornography with CheapNet will be limited to Googling pornographic images (which will be constantly monitored by the local authorities). Premium versions of CheapNet streaming at 128 kb/sec and 256 kb/sec may be able to listen to music and online radio, but only at the lowest quality. YouTube might be available on very low qualities (such as 280p or lower) with premium versions of CheapNet as well as well as access to Google Earth but it may not be the best quality. Google Earth users will have to use the program with as little layers as possible (no weather maps and street view).
People that want to watch video on Cheapnet will have to download a internet speed packet compressor, making the streaming packets compressed so more data could stream through lower bit rates or subscribe to a more premium edition of CheapNet.
All netbooks, iPads, cell phones, smartphones, tablets, PDAs, and most laptops will be unable to support a CheapNet modem by the year 2025. They must be able to access either a broadband Ethernet connection or wi-fi in order to access the Internet. CheapNet modems will be intended for desktop computers in either external or internal form. There will be one way for CheapNet users to acquire TV through their computers: through either an outdoor antenna or a cable setup. While it won't be able to acquire the 5000 channels of Internet television, it will eliminate the need for an extra television set to watch local channels in. While the coffee shops, libraries, and the McDonald's of the Western world are using free wi-fi connections, most nightclubs and bars will be lucky to provide CheapNet service until the year 2045.
Abolition[]
CheapNet will finally be abolished in the year 2091 with the 100th anniversary of the World Wide Web when the last isolated places on Earth are finally connected to high speed wi-fi access. Even supermarkets and traditional farmer's markets will have a section dedicated to wi-fi Internet access during that era. Professional sporting events will permit spectators to bring netbooks,smartphones, and tablets providing that they do not disrupt the athletes or the other spectators. Headphones will be required for patrons who wish to view websites with sound. Otherwise, a disclaimer must be signed by all persons stating they will have the volume on "mute" during the entire game.
Due to the devastating effects of the First Galactic War, CheapNet becomes extremely popular amongst residents of the United States of Venus until at least the end of the 26th century; when the number of high-speed broadband users once again exceeds the number of CheapNet users.